Weekly REAP – Genesis 33

R
And Jacob lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, Esau was coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two female servants. And he put the servants with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. He himself went on before them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother. But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.
Genesis 33:1‭-‬4 ESV

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Last time Jacob saw Esau, he had stolen everything from him, and Esau had plans to kill him. That was at least 20 years before.

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I’ve experienced similar relationships where years go by without speaking to someone after I’ve wronged them, and I feel like they hate me for years until we greet each other again, and all the fear melts away into a wonderful fondness. This brotherly reunion is very reminiscent of the prodigal son parable. Growing up I always got the two stories confused. It reminded me that a family is meant to be a model for how the church, the body of Christ, is supposed to act together. We have a responsibility to love and share our belongings with each other in such a way that everything I have belongs to the body of Christ as well.

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Lord let me not fight with my adopted brothers and sisters in our kingdom family over passing things, but give me opportunities for the things I have to be distributed to believers as often as there is a need. Don’t let me be satisfied to hunger just for the salary I need, but to delight in helping my brothers and sisters in the family of God.

This post is part of my Weekly REAP series. I’m posting these from my personal journal to share what God is teaching me, and to give some practical examples of the REAP method. I didn’t write any of these with publishing in mind, so forgive me if they don’t always wax eloquent. Here is some more information on the REAP study method.